Delighted for Joe Schmidt and the lads. They went over to Twickenham and never looked like losing ... how often can you say that? England haven't lost there in the Six Nations in six years. It really is a great achievement.

I hadn't picked this Six Nations as one that was particularly ripe for a Grand Slam! I'm not sure many did. France aren't the force they were, but winning over there is a big ask. Winning in Twickenham is obviously an even bigger one.

Schmidt managed to bring in a whole rake of young players – Stockdale [5+0], Ryan [4+0], Porter [1+3], Carberry [0+4] and Larmour [0+3] – integrate them into the team successfully and allow them to perform at their optimum. I don't think I'm ever going to see a debut Six Nations campaign like Stockdale's again, he has achieved some incredible feats.

There was also really prominent parts played by Bundee Aki and Dan Leavy, guys who had very little test experience going into the tournament. I think Bundee had a couple of November caps and Leavy not many more. They were new players to the team and didn't look it at all. They took to Six Nations rugby very, very readily. Chris Farrell also deserves a mention in that regard, even though he only appeared in one game. He stepped in, played extremely well and took his opportunity.

The wins had Joe Schmidt written all over them and all though them. Rugby is a team game that encompasses a wide variety of physical, athletic and technical skills and as such tends to reward coherency, well-preparedness and effort moreso than the solo initiative. Our ability to convert territory into points was exceptionally good throughout the tournament. We scored a shedload of tries [20, the most since England's 23 in 2002] and a lot of them were muscled over from short-range after big men carried hard. Personally speaking I have a lot of belief in that sort of rugby, but it also means that there's room to expand into if it's not working.

I'm particularly happy for Rob Kearney and Jonny Sexton. Sexton is so important for us and has really soldiered through the campaign for us after that sensational drop goal against the French. He has faced some good challengers in his last three games [Biggar, Russell and Farrell] and sent them all packing. RK has been over-criticised over a long period of time and it has been great to see him show good form and turn in a couple of outstanding performances in the last two games. A serious, big-time player. Four Six Nations championships!

hugonaut wrote:Delighted for Joe Schmidt and the lads. They went over to Twickenham and never looked like losing ... how often can you say that? England haven't lost there in the Six Nations in six years. It really is a great achievement.

I hadn't picked this Six Nations as one that was particularly ripe for a Grand Slam! I'm not sure many did. France aren't the force they were, but winning over there is a big ask. Winning in Twickenham is obviously an even bigger one.

Schmidt managed to bring in a whole rake of young players – Stockdale [5+0], Ryan [4+0], Porter [1+3], Carberry [0+4] and Larmour [0+3] – integrate them into the team successfully and allow them to perform at their optimum. I don't think I'm ever going to see a debut Six Nations campaign like Stockdale's again, he has achieved some incredible feats.

There was also really prominent parts played by Bundee Aki and Dan Leavy, guys who had very little test experience going into the tournament. I think Bundee had a couple of November caps and Leavy not many more. They were new players to the team and didn't look it at all. They took to Six Nations rugby very, very readily. Chris Farrell also deserves a mention in that regard, even though he only appeared in one game. He stepped in, played extremely well and took his opportunity.

The wins had Joe Schmidt written all over them and all though them. Rugby is a team game that encompasses a wide variety of physical, athletic and technical skills and as such tends to reward coherency, well-preparedness and effort moreso than the solo initiative. Our ability to convert territory into points was exceptionally good throughout the tournament. We scored a shedload of tries [20, the most since England's 23 in 2002] and a lot of them were muscled over from short-range after big men carried hard. Personally speaking I have a lot of belief in that sort of rugby, but it also means that there's room to expand into if it's not working.

I'm particularly happy for Rob Kearney and Jonny Sexton. Sexton is so important for us and has really soldiered through the campaign for us after that sensational drop goal against the French. He has faced some good challengers in his last three games [Biggar, Russell and Farrell] and sent them all packing. RK has been over-criticised over a long period of time and it has been great to see him show good form and turn in a couple of outstanding performances in the last two games. A serious, big-time player. Four Six Nations championships!

This was a stand out season for an Ireland GS.A post lions season is always going to be an opportunity for France, in particular, then Ireland given our usually unrepresentative representation in lions squads.With France in disarray coming into the 6Ns, this was always going to be our season of opportunity.This had been pointed our on more than one occasion prior to 6Ns.England club performances in the ERC further underline the post lions effect.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.

After this GS win other teams are going to start analysing what we are doing.Our standout strength was at the breakdown.Even yesterday England tried to negate it by using the choke tackle as often as possible and/or trying to rip the ball in contact, theteby reducing the number of rucks.They had some success too.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.

Oldschool wrote:After this GS win other teams are going to start analysing what we are doing.Our standout strength was at the breakdown.Even yesterday England tried to negate it by using the choke tackle as often as possible and/or trying to rip the ball in contact, theteby reducing the number of rucks.They had some success too.

They've been at it for two years already but they probably have a misunderstanding of what they should be looking for, or at. Long may that be the case. Not appropriate to speculate here on what they should have been loooking at. In any case, its neither easy to counteract or replicate. A clue to this is how often players refer to the "hard work" in camp. They do work hard, not least on research and review.

ribs wrote:I thought he was poor for Munster this season but very good for ireland. Not the first player to say that about (for other provinces too)

It's true he hasn't had a great season with Munster but I remember thinking that he pretty much always ups his game and performs for Ireland, and he didn't let us down there. Arguably mightn't have deserved to start on current form but certainly rewarded the faith shown.

Oldschool wrote:So coach Joe and his merry men have a few more firsts to achieve.A series win in the SH.A back to back GS.A RWC semi final. A RWC final.A RWC win.An unbeaten run in a calender year.A ranking of 1st.Aim for the stars and you might reach the moon.

I could be wrong but I think we went unbeaten in 2009 - a draw vs Australia being the only non win.

What a slam! the best campaign so far. The whole squad did so well. Special mentions for Leavy and Ryan in the forwards, as a pair they worked so well. In the backs Stockdale, who has sent shockwaves with his strike rate. This is a special group of players. If we can shore up the wide defense, improve our kicking off the tee and come up some attack plans to bring our new weapons like Larmour into the game more effectively we'll be close to the complete team.

Experimental wrote:What a slam! the best campaign so far. The whole squad did so well. Special mentions for Leavy and Ryan in the forwards, as a pair they worked so well. In the backs Stockdale, who has sent shockwaves with his strike rate. This is a special group of players. If we can shore up the wide defense, improve our kicking off the tee and come up some attack plans to bring our new weapons like Larmour into the game more effectively we'll be close to the complete team.

Defensive restarts need a bit of work too.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.

The thing I found strange watching the match was how anti climatic the match itself was - in comparison to the build up and what was on the line. It was apparent after 20 mins to half an hour into it that Ireland were going to win. We had England sussed out and kept them pretty much at arms length. I found the last hour or so pretty excruciating, not because I thought England might come back into it, but because I simply wanted it to be over and the win confirmed. It was a very weird feeling to have about such an important game.

Dave Cahill wrote:The thing I found strange watching the match was how anti climatic the match itself was - in comparison to the build up and what was on the line. It was apparent after 20 mins to half an hour into it that Ireland were going to win. We had England sussed out and kept them pretty much at arms length. I found the last hour or so pretty excruciating, not because I thought England might come back into it, but because I simply wanted it to be over and the win confirmed. It was a very weird feeling to have about such an important game.

They threw everything at Ireland but were still off the mark, the last try when the clock was in the red put some unwarranted gloss on the English score. You'd have to think that if we needed another score or bonus point we would have taken it.

Dave Cahill wrote:The thing I found strange watching the match was how anti climatic the match itself was - in comparison to the build up and what was on the line. It was apparent after 20 mins to half an hour into it that Ireland were going to win. We had England sussed out and kept them pretty much at arms length. I found the last hour or so pretty excruciating, not because I thought England might come back into it, but because I simply wanted it to be over and the win confirmed. It was a very weird feeling to have about such an important game.

I must admit I was very nervous before the game. I was in Paris and celebrated like a loon when Sexton nailed that drop goal but I have always had a feeling that we would win the home games. England at Twickenham for the Slam was a huge ask but after 20 minutes it seemed inevitable that we would win. A very strange feeling watching the second half, totally delighted but quietly satisfied more so than the heart attack stuff in Cardiff in 2009.This team is operating at a level of sustained excellence rarely seen in Irish sport.

Dave Cahill wrote:The thing I found strange watching the match was how anti climatic the match itself was - in comparison to the build up and what was on the line. It was apparent after 20 mins to half an hour into it that Ireland were going to win. We had England sussed out and kept them pretty much at arms length. I found the last hour or so pretty excruciating, not because I thought England might come back into it, but because I simply wanted it to be over and the win confirmed. It was a very weird feeling to have about such an important game.